Lucky Star – 23

When typing in Japanese, there’s a sort of predictive text system that will turn the hiragana to kanji depending on common use (sort of like the autocorrect function in Word). Kagami tries to type one thing but Konata’s computer is interpreting it is something entirely different – for example, “maniaisou” (まにあいそう), which usually means “looks like I’ll make it on time” (間に合いそう) gets displayed as “mania isou” (マニア移送) which is something like “maniac transport” (mania is something along the lines of otaku).

“Drought”
Soujiro looking forward to his bowl of instant noodles… rip open package, pour in the sauce packets, add the hot wat… no more water OTL

“Double Standard”
Yutaka and Konata are sick! Yui comes to visit – Yutaka is tucked away in bed, while Konata… is playing video games. “Hoh, too sick to go to school but not sick enough for video games eh?”
Konata> You of all people should understand, Yui-neesan…

“Tachi”
Minami, Hiyori, and Patty pay a visit to the ailing Yutaka. Yui-neesan welcomes “Minami-tachi,” while completely ignoring the other two. The first thing Yutaka says? “Minami-chan, Tamura-san, Patty-chan, welcome~”

From what I understand, the “-tachi” tag is used quite often when referring to “you guys” or “those people,” with the name preceding it the main person associated with the group. Yui-neesan’s use of “Minami-tachi” is normal, but it gets taken to extremes when the other two are completely left out.

“Outlaws”
Yutaka> I wonder why I have such a weak body… I’m always causing people to worry about me…
Konata> Well, that’s what makes people want to protect you.
Yui> But it’s pretty troubling for the person who’s actually sick!
Hiyori> Hm… so that’s like saying people who actually do have a younger sister don’t think of her as moe…
Konata> BINGO
Patty> BINGO
Konata> Eck! The muggles are attacking us with their piercing stares!
Patty> They can’t follow what we’re saying!
Hiyori> We can’t help it, senpai! We’re outlaws !!

“Growth Stimulation”
Konata> Minami-chan, you’re pretty worried about that flat chest, ne?
Yui> I heard they grow more if you squeeze them!
Hiyori’s Imagination> Yutaka> I-I-Is it really ok, Minami-chan? I can squeeze?

“Clinging to Innocence”
Turns out Konata has seen some of Hiyori’s doujin works at Comiket!
Yutaka> Oh, really? Onee-chan, can you show me some of her stuff?
Konata> Sure
Hiyori> Please… anything but that…

“Popular Dentistry”
Miyuki and her mom watch a show with Mino Monta, this time talking about a gum which includes the great Xylitol sugar, an artificial sweetener which is supposed to help reduce cavities.
Miyuki> If it’s that great for my teeth, I might as well try some…
*munch munch munch* SNAP
Miyuki> My fillings came out when I was chewing T_T… now I have to go back to the dentist…

“Chicken or the Egg”
Tsukasa> I just realized, don’t strawberries have the same smell as shortcakes?
Kagami> Ah, I see… but isn’t the smell of shortcakes due to them containing strawberries?
Tsukasa> Oh yeah

“Japanese Culture”
Kagami> What kind of songs do you listen to, Patricia-san?
Patty> Soudesune… Orange Ra***, Chemist**, Suneoh***, Porno Graf****, L’arc en ci**, etc etc… a lot of different Japanese artists!
Kagami> Hoh, that’s impressive.
Konata> So in other words, all the ones that sang in anime.
Patty> Yep!

“Subtle Difference”
Patty> Ahh, I want a maid. I’m always so busy with cooking, laundry, manga, anime
Kagami> Yea, a housekeeper would be nice to have, eh?
Patty> No, no, not a housekeeper… A MAID!
Kagami> Eh, aren’t they the same thing…
Patty> What have you been learning in this country!!
Kagami> Keh, you sure you’re not confusing Japan with something else?

“Mistaken Identity”
Miyuki> Kobayakawa-san always says Minami-chan is so cool and kakkoii!Flash to scene of Yukari walking by Minami’s house and seeing her “chin-chin-ing” with her dog
Yukari> So cool and kakkoii huh!
Miyuki> Izumi-san says Minami-chan has no weaknesses!Flash to scene of Yukari spying on Minami at the grocery store, where she screwed one of those buy one get one free deals
Yukari> No weaknesses huh!
Miyuki> Kagami-san and Tsukasa-san say Minami-chan is so capable and can do anything!Flash to scene of Minami at the same grocery store calling her mom and saying there’s a one-item limit, then nodding her head to something her mom says. Minami walks out the store. Walks back in. Walks out the store. Walks back in. I’m guessing her mom told her to just go back in the store and get another one… but she misunderstood -_-
Yukari> So capable huh!

“Achoo”
Konata> HAAA-KUSHON! (Japanese version of “achoo”… lol)
Kagami> Haha, that’s the first time I seen someone actually say “hakushon” when sneezing.
Miyuki> ha… haa… hakushun~!

“Reputation”
Kagami> You guys sure get along well… have you ever gotten into an argument?
Misao> You bet… Ayano is pretty scary when she’s mad
Kagami> Hm… I can see that
Misao> By the way, Hiiragi, you’re always scary

“Win by Half a Cup Size”
Yutaka> Minami-chan got the same time as you in the 100m dash!
Konata> But if we raced each other, I’d win cuz my chest is larger! Hehe!
Minami> T_T
Screen Caption> ~Flat-chested Girls~

Other happenings this episode:
- Kagami gets pissed off during a phone call
- Miyuki visits the dentist. Just lay back and open your mouth!
- Attaching dogs to their owners… that husky must have a twin-tailed tsundere owner!
- Feeding the dog at the dinner table
- More complaints about mecha anime – they have to have cute characters in order to please fans now
- Konata picks up a Kahlua CD (Galaxy Angel Rune character voiced by Hirano Aya). Later, Kagami notices a Powerpuff Girls Z CD with Blossom on the cover. Guess who voices Blossom :D
- Konata and Patty looking at moe girls on the computer. Yui-neesan walks in! Minimize minimize!! Yutaka walks in! OH SHI-
- Kuroi-sensei finishes a long blog post. *Submit* -THE PAGE CANNOT BE DISPLAYED-

Lucky Channel 23
Gotou Yuuko makes her Lucky Star debut as a sword-toting motorcycle-straddling female gang member named “Gottouza-sama.” After her Onizuka-esque pep talk, can Shiraishi and Akira reconcile for one final episode?

Ba ba ba ba baaa ba ba baaa… relax with the song stylings of Shiraishi as he engages in an epic lightsaber battle. フォースを使う、 みのる！！

Preview

Thoughts

Not really what I was expecting for the 2nd to last episode – it was almost “too normal” of an episode, with all the typical antics and real-world situations. There was no big school trip or Haruhi concert, and the biggest thing that happened was probably Yukari making fun of Minami. If I were to point out one thing about this episode, it would be the balance of material, with an almost equal distribution of referential humor, moe humor, real-world situational humor (that file transfer scene nailed it on the dot), and just plain ol’ fun humor.

Then of course, we had the debut of Gotou Yuuko, which now completes the Haruhi seiyuu triumvirate in Lucky Star (5, if you include Ono Daisuke and Shiraishi) – remember, we saw Chihara Minori at Comiket, and Hirano Aya during the Haruhi Gekisou performance. Keep in mind, though, those other two technically didn’t have speaking roles (they’re already playing characters in Lucky Star…), so the Yuuko appearance was pretty unique. She’s damn cute too, with those big red eyes and the forced hoodlum voice. She even went “vroom vroom” on her bike -_-

Next episode is the last episode! Looks like it’s going to take place during the school festival – something we haven’t seen in Lucky Star yet (the closest was the athletics meet), and based on previous anime experience, usually works out pretty well. Here’s to hoping for a great end – KyoAni has never disappointed!

-jaalin

As always a big thanks to mewmew for helping me out with the translations!!

“Lucky Star” is one of the best anime shows of all time. It is by far the funniest comedy anime ever created, far surpassing breakthrough shows like “Pani Poni Dash!” and “Cromartie High School”. The 2002 anime “Azumanga Daioh” is the only other show that comes close. When you watch a comedy show, it is common to smile, chuckle or laugh – but when you watch “Lucky Star”, particularly the first two to three episodes, you find yourself laughing so hard it hurts. This is a laugh out loud and stomp your feet show thanks to a brilliant comic talent – KyoAni. Many people who I have talked to about this show have said they “don’t get it” and that the rapid fire otaku cultural references fly over their heads. I say, exactly. This show is clever and sharp and if you actually laugh at crap like “Ouran High School Host Club”, you won’t “get” this show either. Unlike every other pale, bland humored show out there, “Lucky Star” is full flavored, knock you on your ass funny. Do not miss the chance to see it every time its released, you’ll be witnessing anime history.

…i believe we are seeing yet another minomonta parody. x,x first it was for millionaire, and by th look of things, its one of his noon-time shows this time around…the type that a bunch of obasan will watch. lol.

yea, lucky star is funny, but same like pani poni dash, it needs other animes/films/manga/brands to support itself. If you happen to watch another anime first before you watch this, you will find the first 5 episodes will be kinda “standard” (some will even find it “lower standard”) joke. Proof? Lucky Star relies a LOT on suzumiya haruhi and some other comedies that you consider crap(eg. cromartie high school and pani pani poni dash).

My prediction that they’d get Yuko Goto into the cast is complete. I just knew they couldn’t handle not fitting in the whole Haruhi cast. The thing is why so late, Yuko Goto must be the least popular one or something. The manner in which she appears on her badass chopper is mildly amusing however. In all honesty Lucky Channel is kind of a sham that exists to shill for the stars of Haruhi (and they kind of need it since harldy anyone is hiring them other than Kyoto Animation), I really didn’t like any of them in the end, unless 24 does something completely unexpected that is.

Other than that in the end my views on this show are really mixed. I genuinely liked some of the comedy segements of the early episodes that focused on the life of a Japanese Otaku interested in all kinds of anime and games, as well as classic anime music, and her friends with their own personality quirks, but then it ultimately just got to Haruhi-centric with the material and it really made it hard to buy Konata as a serious Otaku and her friends as how they were originally introduced to be in the manga and early episodes (The first 6 or so episodes were the best in my mind). The school scenarios of them talking about the daily grind were also enjoyable, but then those gave more and more way to trips to Anime Tenchou’s store where he hawked whatever Kadokawa was trying to market at the moment to Konata, the joke, what there was of it, got old fast. And then some of the jokes from previous episodes started getting reused, and others felt ripped straight from 2ch and regurgitated back at the fans to give them instant satisfaction through minimum effort. The shows has shown flashes of it’s early moments that I like as recent as episode 22 or so, but the gap from episode 13-21 where it just wasn’t that fun to watch has really hurt it in my eyes. Episode 24 is going to have to really be something special for me to see this show as above average or unforgettable in the end, and I don’t me special as in something gimmicky involving all the Haruhi cast making an appearance or some service to the Kyoto Animation fans, I mean something I can take from me that defines the show as something I won’t forget for the time to come. Otherwise it will seem that even peoples Kyoto Animation that can turn anything into gold, couldn’t make Lucky Star work the way the manga did.

@Sheba: I agree, probably a troll trying to get a reaction by turning the fanboy up to 11. Even I’m not going to bother.

The way you can spawn a paragraph because of a VA choice made for a cast in an off-the-show segment is something worthy of pat-on-the-back.

Can you elaborate on the re-used segments and the 2ch-generated jokes?

And what do you mean Kyoani couldn’t make Lucky Star work? You told me yourself that you see shit tons of LS anime fans.

Like I’ve said before, you’re too critical of trivial matters which tend to make you over-analyze things that people don’t even care about. Perhaps bring your posts to encompass everyone’s POV, not just your own so people are more likely to discuss things with you. Otherwise all you’ll get are tirades about the narrowness of your criticisms.

Well, think the problem with this show is that you must be REALLY into animes to enjoy the whole show. There’s just stuff which an average anime fan like me never heard of, never read, never watched. But all in all I like this show since it’s just something different from the huge anime pool thesedays. In the end for me it’s one of the best comedies I know, BUT it’s nothing for anime beginners. You just need some basic knowledge to be able to really enjoy it.

@Otanga
Useful comment >.> people like ya we would put in the army and teach em some manners!

im not sure what kaio-shin sama is saying, because the VA’s of haruhi definitely got a lot more roles going for them *thanks to* haruhi. and some of them were already pretty active in terms of voicing characters before haruhi too…

@mutio: you don;t have to know all the animes to like this anime. Those are just underground jokes that have no impact to the main storyline. Meaning that if you bother to look up at all the anime referenced, you just miss out on the show itself which is funner. Honestly, I think the reference and parody are just traps for obsessive ppl to search for. Casual viewers will ignore it and go with the flow and if they DO understand it, they will just laugh at it.

@Rembr: I think if you look hard enough you can answer all of those questions yourself. I’ll answer one though, in my eyes making Lucky Star work would be giving it the widespread appeal that shows like Haruhi, Code Geass and Gurren-Lagann have, Lucky Star is popular with the people who are already Kyoto Animation fans already, they were doing a good job early on in roping in new viewers (which included me), but ultimately fell back on their core fanbase from Haruhi, which put me off. It’s not easy to do show’s from scratch like Gainax or Sunrise, but they could have at least made the show fell less like a parasite growing from the leftovers of Haruhi’s popularity (And yes I know it has it’s own jokes, but they come all to rarely inbetween the generic moe stuff and the aformentioned criticism).

@Mewmew: And most of those roles didn’t amount to much or were of the supporting or one shot variety.

-I haven’t heard Goto Yuko in much of anything recently.
-Chihara Minori got a few monotone girl roles and a low tier support role in Ikkitousen, she’s getting a lead in something called Dragonaut with the rest of the Haruhi cast, so we’ll see then if she can breakthrough.
-Aya Hirano ended up in flops like Manabi Straight and Sumomomo~ and had a bit role in Busou Renkin as the heroes sister and one supporting role in Death Note.
-The only one who’s made a name for himself in doing lead characters is Daisuke Ono, all the others are still riding along on the Haruhi banner. Where are all these people’s lead roles, Haruhi should have launched their careers and had companies offering them big parts, but they haven’t been.
-Oh and then there’s Sugita Tomokazu, who has always had some lead roles, but I don’t think much of him at all, that’s another story though.

Kaio: Uhm, buddy… you brought the subject up and these are your specifics that you are talking about. If you want me to respond and get a discussion going, give me a concrete answer instead of having me take guesses. Or do you really not want to bother?

Also I still don’t see how LSanime is not ‘working’. There are even more Kyoani fans now than there were during Haruhi, correct? If so, I don’t see how that’s not a success, especially if Kyoani fans tend to be loyal, which apparently they are from how you describe them.

As much as I do wish a season 2 would come around, a part of me wants to leave it be… second seasons rarely duplicate the originality or spirit of the 1st; and i’m interested in what kyoani will tackle next – every genre they’ve tried their hand at has been met with great success.

Avex: Translating ZS is a bitch. I really feel for afk if they are attempting to decode with only amateurs. I see that they got 5 out finally, but it’s still an uphill battle from here, and probably until the end.

@Rembr: I probably don’t want to discuss it then, if you can’t see the jokes that have been reused over and over (like the Lucky Channel joke of Akira coming in all cutesy and then getting pissed off the second Minoru starts to talk), or the Anime Tenchou one, or the Tsukasa losing her cell phone one, or the Konata flat chest one, then you either aren’t concerned enough with it to begin with (understandable) for a discussion to matter, or are simply caught up in the moment and not concerned with it (understandable, but would be unfortunate).

Kaio: Do you ignore what Minoru and Akira discusses and skip right through to their characters? What do you want them to do, have a different characteristic each episode when they discuss? Or have more active appearance like in the recent episodes? I didn’t care for LC much either but I can recall them talking about something different each time.

When did Tsukasa lose her cell phone multiple times? Didn’t it end with her having it get washed and that was it? You’ll have to bring me episode numbers on this one since I do have afk subs lying around and watch it now and then, but have never noticed this repeated joke.

Anime Tenchou? Seriously how many times did he appear? Each time he did appeared it was so brief that I don’t really remember the similarities between the episodes. A lot of the times, they were just throw-in appearances to accommodate a manga-based joke that would have otherwise happened at a regular store setting. Same thing with most, if not all, Haruhi appearances. This is why I don’t see why you’re so upset with their appearance, since there would’ve been same storyline with or without them.

Konata flat-chest? Do you mean Minami? If so, I agree. But they’re in the manga, so what can animators do, really? Konata on the other hand, I can’t recall except for that whole ‘Status’ speech. There were a lot of snippets about her being short, but that subject is a pretty explorable one, so it really isn’t something that will be tired even after seasons of jokes.

Aside from [i]Minami[/i] flat-chest [i]neta[/i], I seriously can’t recall a repeated/re-used joke that was so apparent and blatant. Are you sure you’re not watching the same episode over and over so many times that you get a deja vu feeling?

Or, again, you’re so concerned with something so trivial that you’re really not caring about things outside of the box? Or maybe you’re so outside the box that you’re really not seeing the box at all?

>> or are simply caught up in the moment and not concerned with it (understandable, but would be unfortunate).

Doesn’t seem so unfortunate to me when someone is enjoying his/her moment while another is just so concerned with nitpicking that he/she is not concerned with getting caught up in the moment. But then again, maybe that person enjoys nitpicking more so than enjoying shows, so… To each his/her own, I suppose.

They are staples in comedy works. For example in anime, GTO had the sub-director’s Cresta that always get wrecked by Onizuka as running gag, Excel Saga have Il Palazzo making Excel fall in a pit or we have the Pedro scene, Azumanga Daioh had Sakaki getting bitten by the cat, etc…

They are staples in comedy works. For example in anime, GTO had the sub-director’s Cresta that always get wrecked by Onizuka as running gag, Excel Saga have Il Palazzo making Excel fall in a pit or we have the Pedro scene, Azumanga Daioh had Sakaki getting bitten by the cat, etc…
lol at that cresta gag. Can miyuki and her dentist fear classified as LC’s running gag? somehow it seems so subtle XD

@kaio-shin sama.
rather shallow thinking isn’t it? just because a VA doesn’t star in a leading role has nothing to do with whether he/she has any “work” to do or that their career is “flopping”…

miyamura yuuko (aka asuka from eva) hasn’t been in mega-large roles for a while, but in no way should that discredit her. same goes for hayashibara megumi, who still remains at large and is still a seiyu icon for many anime viewers.

and goto yuuko as abiru in zetsubou sensei is quite enjoyable and is a pretty important role, so “I haven’t heard Goto Yuko in much of anything recently” isn’t a very good point on your part. maybe you should follow or at least be aware of other shows instead of yapping…

it’s funny, actually, to think you, kaio, judge a VA’s worth by the number of leading roles they have. and i honestly believe that if you *bothered* to familiarize yourself with japanese culture, lucky star will be more enjoyable. because to me you don’t seem to catch them, hence the constant nitpicking. and i second sheba’s comment on running gags. lucky star is definitely not the first anime to make use of it. in any case, the fact that you do continually criticize the show yet *watch* it until the penultimate episode just strikes me as pitiful, if not slightly humorous.

@rembr:
i can definitely agree on zs being a pain to sub. ep 10 had the usual chalkboard dialogue, in addition to adding flashing scenes of *text* here and there (so much of it, in fact, that it’s probably impossible to read them all if you watch it through the regular tv broadcast). i still love the show though. ^^ how they blast japanese culture to shreds and mention details such as how nakai masahiro from SMAP can’t sing for his life is something very few anime can do.

“Lucky Star” is one of the best anime shows of all time. It is by far the funniest comedy anime ever created, far surpassing breakthrough shows like “Pani Poni Dash!” and “Cromartie High School”. The 2002 anime “Azumanga Daioh” is the only other show that comes close. When you watch a comedy show, it is common to smile, chuckle or laugh – but when you watch “Lucky Star”, particularly the first two to three episodes, you find yourself laughing so hard it hurts. This is a laugh out loud and stomp your feet show thanks to a brilliant comic talent – KyoAni. Many people who I have talked to about this show have said they “don’t get it” and that the rapid fire otaku cultural references fly over their heads. I say, exactly. This show is clever and sharp and if you actually laugh at crap like “Ouran High School Host Club”, you won’t “get” this show either. Unlike every other pale, bland humored show out there, “Lucky Star” is full flavored, knock you on your ass funny. Do not miss the chance to see it every time its released, you’ll be witnessing anime history.

@LuckyStarKawaii:
Now this is what I call a fanboy. You know, the type that cannot see BEYOND because they’re blinded by their adoration to a show.

No, it isn’t the ‘greatest’ show of all history.

No, its comedy isn’t ‘far surpassing’ other shows like Pani Poni Dash or Ouran High School.

@Mewmew: Lot of assumptions about what I am not aware of don’t you think. Way to overshoot the persons argument and try to go after the person themselves. That’s usually when I draw the line and refuse to further a debate with somebody. So yeah….

@kaioshin
lots of assumptions? yet you are the one making assumptions on how haruhi’s VA are clinging onto lucky star *because* they are not giving roles that are of considerable importance. and i still dont understand where the “haruhi-centric” argument is coming from – there were virtually zero haruhi references in the actual show with the exception of goto yuuko, arguably and the fact that gahlua is voiced by hirano aya.

and i dont think it’s an assumption at all that you do continue to watch the show. you complain every week, and continue to post every week, and it appears to be that way until the finale. good job. -.- b

Not as powerful as 22, nor epicly eventful as people may expect from the second to last episode, it turns out to be quite “normal”, which IMO is actually appropriate and fitting for it’s the sum of all the little things that we have come to love about Lucky Star: randomness, culture reference, otaku humor, regular humor, moe factors, konaGami interaction(yes, this one deserves its own catagory) and more.

Another reason I liked it this way is because an actually eventful, epic episode will give you a feeling of closure, remind you that one of your favorite show is truly coming to an end. But with the way ep. 23 is, it feels like nothing is changing, it’s the same good ol’fun we all know and love, and thus gives me a sort of hope that this fun that is LS will someday continue, and damn do I hope for that.

seems like noone get the powerpuff girl – kagami connection joke in this episode heh?:D I watched powerpuff girl, one of them is being filled by the same seiyuu of kagami. That’s why when she looks at powerpuff girl sale on the bookstore, she thinks that it is her only chance to buy lolz

What CD is she buying, and is it a coincidence that it looks awfully like the Lucky Star character CDs?

I agree with Germanguy. Sure, it might not rank up there with Azumanga Daioh, but it’s a chill one where you can just watch for the hell of it. Aside from KyoAni not bringing in the side characters earlier (like Hiyorin) and the outrageous advertisements for Haruhi (well, it’s their main cash cow) I reckon it was decent. It made a hell lot more sense than Pani Poni, at least.

Gotou Yuuko sounds amazing!!! She actually sounds like suzumiya haruhi when she spoke in her serious voice. Heck, her voice sounded even cooler with a definite edgier tone!! And when she switched to her adult-mikuru voice, that was soooo amazing!!! Need…more…animes with …. her as the lead… And by lead, I mean a role where she gets to emote more than just “kyaa” and “kyon-kun”+teary eyes.

I’ve always loved L* (Lucky Star) and this just embodies what the series is all about – otakus, school, normal life and Haruhi/Aya references. I think it’s great and I will be sad once this series is over. :(

@Kaio (You don’t deserve the -shin or the -sama): Holy God, I’ll be happy when this is over. Just to see Kaioshin stop posting his overly anti-kyoani, anti-otakuism, anti-consumerism, self-advertising whore posts. It’s high time you realized you’re not loved here. You’re probably not loved in your pathetic trysts in the Animesuki boards against all Kyoani fans. And, if all the posts against you haven’t shown you enough, your illegitimate cries against Lucky Star are NOT the voice of reason. You never were, nor will you be.

Just give it up. More than anything, don’t ruin a last episode by being the uncouth, uncivilized, philistinic fat man who farts loudly in the middle of a theater showing a captivating movie. Just don’t.

megaman: i can definitely see where you’re coming from in regards to family guy, but then i’d have to ask you which family guy you’re talking about – the early seasons with self-contained humor, or the newer seasons with random, nonsensical yet usually amusing “remember the time when…” jokes?

i still think futurama is the best cartoon american TV has put out – the jokes are just at the right balance of brashness and cleverness so that i can still laugh like a madman but not feel retarded for finding it funny

@Drizzy: Hahahaha…. fat man? captivating movie? what? That was a strange rant/flame if I ever heard one. If people decide to hate a person for holding an opinion (albeit an admittedly out loud one, but no more so than the pro-lucky star fans, that conflicts with others) that’s kind of sad, I don’t think most people do that. I should hope not.

Tell you what, when you tell me why I should hate the people that come into the Kodomo No Jikan thread calling people who like it pedophiles, because their view conflicts with mine on the Manga/Anime’s quality then we’ll talk. I vehemently disagree that Kodomo No Jikan is just a pedophile’s fantasy, but I always try to keep this vow, “Hate the opinion not the opiner”. Heck, I disagree with my best friend frequently and can’t even fathom the reasons behind some of the things he says, but he’s still my good friend. Plus if a few posts here and there countering my thoughts (not including the couple that are just about how awful a human being people think I am) were enough to make me change my mind on certain things then my thoughts in my own mind wouldn’t stand for much. In fact I would have been shocked and surprised if there weren’t any counter posts.

In Regard To Jaalin’s Family Guy comment: Family Guy always had that remember when style of comedy, only in the new seasons they take it to such extreme’s that it’s became a joke all of it’s own so much so that Family Guy’s style of humour was lampooned and ridiculed quite fairly on South Park in a two part episode. Even Fox actually got a kick out of it, or so I hear and they made a commerical response to it with regard to the Manatee writer joke in South Park. Speaking of Futurama, I had heard that there was going to be a new season in 2007. Hopefully it starts soon. I would imagine it’ll be ready for the fall season. I miss it’s satire on modern American culture viewed through a past tense look via it’s futuristic setting.

Very funny episode up until Miyuki started talking. Is it too much to ask for a SchoolDays parody involving her? I’d much rather see more Patty-chan. (not just anime music, but shows that are popular in the US)

Compared to PPD, this is nothing but crap BUT it’s simply not the same genre. Of course, PPD had some bad episodes too. However, in my book, LS is not really a comedy at all. It’s rather a moe-show with some comedy and even more slice-of-life elements. I think everybody expecting a big laugh out of each episode will be utterly disappointed and everyone advertising LS as a comedy is doing it a great disservice. That said, I’ve already said it before that LS could have been much better if SHAFT had done. Then again, there are many people who don’t like SHAFT style either and/or find it too random. In any case, why should someone not watch LS, if he has the time, even if he does not like it too much? It’s better to watch it and decide it’s crap, rather than reading comments about fan boys praising it beyond green and then always be wondering whether it was really that great.

It won’t be a comedy to people who won’t understand the Japanese references and such. It’s not 100% comedy, but where I have burst out laughing (mostly word-plays and archaic expressions, as well as gross hyberboles of certain cultural aspects) there were no way my friends from here would have gotten it.
Good thing LS has other things going for it to pull its weight for American viewing… although people expecting the reception of a caliber shown in Japan would probably find it lacking unless they can understand everything that goes on.

Xylitol isn’t actually an artificial sweetener– as Wikipedia says, “Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, including various berries, corn husks, oats, and mushrooms.”

>> Then of course, we had the debut of Gotou Yuuko, which now completes the Haruhi seiyuu triumvirate in Lucky Star (5, if you include Ono Daisuke and Shiraishi) – remember, we saw Chihara Minori at Comiket, and Hirano Aya during the Haruhi Gekisou performance…

What about Tomokazu Sugita? He was the weird clerk at Gamers. He always with Meito-The-Crazy-Shopkeeper. They both got punched at Comiket?